Means for charging the storage batteries of wheeled vehicles



Oct. 20, 1925.

G. ECKMAN ET AL MEANS FOR CHARGING II-IE STORAGE BATTERIES 0F WHEELED VEHICLES Filed Aug 2 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Emmi ans: J @azye .Echmm Oct. 20, 1925.

G. ECKMAN ET AL MEANS FOR CHARGING '1' HE STORAGE BATTERIES OF WHEELED VEHICIJES' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2.

charging the storage batteries of wheeled Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT *o l'cE- GEORGE ECKMAN AND ALBERT w. M ORE, or KALAMAZOO, nrcnrenn.

I MEANS FOR CHARGING Tm: sroasen semantics or wrmnnno vnHIcLEs. a

Application filed August 2, i923, Serial 655,195.

To all whom it may concern."

'Be it known that we, GEORGE ECKMAN and ALBERT W. MOORE, citizens of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo,inthe county of Kalamazoo-and State of Michigan, have invented new and usefullmprovements in Means for Charging the Storage Batteries of Wheeled Vehicles, of which the following is a specification. a

The present invention. relates to means for vehicles; and its Object is, generally, topro vide spring-actuated means for operating the electric generatorswhereby. such batteries are. charged; and. more particularly, to provide means whereby the operating spring of suchmeans maybe tensioned or wound. bythe interrelative verticalmovements of suchmembers of the vehiclesvas the axle and main framethereof, said movements being caused by inequalities of the road over which the vehicle travels. w

- These and anyother objects hereinafter appearing are attained by, and the invention finds; preferable embodiment in, the

structure hereinafter particularly described in the .body of this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which: v f

Figure 1 isa' top plan view of a portion of the chassis of an automobile carrying an ratchet wheel and pawl. 1 In the embodiment ofthe invention for illustration by the drawings and for deembodiment of our invention;

Figure 2 is a side view thereof, certain parts being. sectioned on'line 22:of-Figu re3; 2' 'Figure3 is'a rear'view otthe same, certain parts being-sectioned on, line 3--3I0f Figurel; a Figure 4 is a side view of spring-actuated means for operating an electric generator, parts of the'casing and other parts being e y to-show the interior Figure 5 is a sectional View ofthesame 'taken'on line 5+5 of Figure 4;' 45 m wheel and pawl and a sectional View of ad- Figure 6 is a top plan viewof a ratchet jacent parts taken on line-6+6 of Figure3;

" Figure 7 is a side view of parts of a' pair of gears and toothed' 'racks meshing therewith; and l Figure 8 is awfragmentary view chosen tailed. description in thebody of this Ispecification, our inventionis shown applied to'an automobile having interrelatively vertically- 1 movable members-the chassis frame 1 and rearaxle 2and' carrying an electric storage battery 3 connected by the electric connections lt-with the electric motor indicated at 5 whereby the automobile is propelled through thediflerential gearing in the housmg 6, allthese parts being of any usual andWell-known type and construction.- An

electric generator ordynamo 7 driven by the rotatable shaft 8 generates electricity for charging the battery, transmitting the same to the battery through the electric coninejctions"QQpreferably provided with-a cir cuit closer and opener-'10 which may be located inany convenient positiOnQ This generator is operated by revolving 'its shaft 8 by means of mechanism comprising a coiled springg or "seriesnthereof as shown, the inner adjacent spring 16' being secured at 17 to the hub'of said drum 14. r 'lhe outer end of the spring 16 isin like manner secured at 1'8 tothe drum 19 towhosehub the inner end of the thirdspringQO is secured at-21,

the outer endof the spring 20 being secured 35 atl22 to'the drum'23 whose hub is'keyed at 24 to the shaft 25. It will be seen that the gear 13- and theihubs of thefirst and seconddrums 14 and 19being rotatable on the shaft '25, the rotation ofthis shaft in one direction (the gear 13'being held against 'like'rotation) will tension or-wind the said springs. The unwinding of" this series of springs rotates the" gear- 13' which drives througha 'suitable multiplying :train "of gearsecomprising the gear 27, skewed gear '28 and its meshing worm 29the' shaft 8 of the generator. This worm shaft .8 is provided with a thrust bearing furnished with an anti-friction ball race 30 as shown. The

said series of springs ,and gearing are preferablyl housedm a casing 26.. The springs 11,16 and QOJmay be tensiolned or woundzby various means, someof'which are illustrated by" the drawings. '1 .A preferable means (for this purposeis Operatedby the interrelative vertical movements of" the said two members of the vehicle-its framel and rearaxle over a road having depressions and upward projections wherebythe vehicle-springs: 31

' oi the vehicles? frame 1.

Amatdhetwheeh 41 on the shaft-25 and its detent 42 holds said springs in -wound position irrespective of the operationof said pawls. The end 430i the shaft 25 is shown squared: to. receive a crank (not shown) whereby the" said! springs may bewound dependently of the toothed racks When the racks are: not operation therzscrew bolt 44: whereby the lower end ofi theibar is mounted on the: part 45 carried by the axle; 2 may be removed, and said end-of the her my be,v swung, rarwardly-upvvardly about the? shaft 25;, whereupon said bolt may be passed through the hole 416' iii the bracket .47 carried by. the frame? land-through the he1e 48 i n saidbar to'hold the bar in! inoperative positioh; g 1

VA speed governor 045 any usuai form: to limit the speech o4.the' generator operating mechanism isindicadied at:5.-

A frictiomlutch, automatically releasable whenebhee dnrvingsprings 1 1 lfi'and 20 are wormd 'suificientl y tight; isindiea t'ed at 51 The shaft 25. be: turned towind these springs by other means thari'those hereinbe= iioreiidescr ibd on 'i llfistrated by the draw-- ing's asby the" sprocket owhee1s 52- on one 0% the i eaiflvhiele' wheels 54: and 55' one 'a stub shatft 57 lrespectiwelyg carrying the sprocket chain! 53;" 'llheiwheel eahesa gear '58: meshing; with! a? gear 56 on the? shaft 25'. A- clutch; for coupling the gear '56 with the "sha'fiti 25 is 'iiidi'cated idltl 59.

The 'mvehtiom being inflendeditobepoinb t ed out in the claims, is not tozbe limited-to or" by details of construction ofi theparticular embbdiment-thereoi i l hfstrated by the drawings or hereinbefoi'' shown or db scribed:

We claimr 7 1 In awlieei'ed vehicle "having an electric storage battery and spring-connected m'em hers interrelatively movable vertically, mechanism of the character described, com- 'prisingzzi an electric'generatorffor charging 'theibattery spring-actuated means for operaanthe 'generatohj and: connections extending between: said members and-operated by their interreiatiwe movement for tensioning "the spring! -of said spring'actuated means; m I

$11111 aewlleeied vehicle haviiig anelectric mechanism of the character described, com

prising: an electric generator I for charging: thebattery a coiled spring mounted on one oi? said membersifor operatin' the generator and having a rotatable winding sha ft provided! with a ratchet wheel'gxa gear turnably mounted on the-shaft; atoothedrackcarried byth'e other of said members and meshing with the gear; and a paw carriedqby the gear and engaging the ratchet Wheeh .4. Im a Wheeled vehicle ha vingv anelectrie storage battery and spring-connected members imem elativel'y movable vertic'ahy', mechanismas the character describedgucom prism :5 an electric generatorifer charging the b'a very a coiled sprihg mounted on one oi said membersfor operating the generator and havin a rotatable winaimg. shaft providbdrwith ratchet wheelsg gear-s; turria'bly mounted! onthe shaft; toothed rackscarr-i'ed by" the other or said members and-meshing 0 with the" gears respective-1y ori opposite" sides 7 of the shaft and pawls carried by the; gears respectively and engaging. the respective ratchet wheels. I

51 In a wheeled vehicle having an electhe storage battery a dsprings-connected members inter-relatively movable vertically, mechanism oifi the character described, 7 compr isirrgrz a'n-ieleetric' generator for" charging the battery; a coiled spring mounted oh one cit-said members for operating the geriratora-nd having a rotatable wihd-ing shaft and a gear thereon; a toothed rack carried by th'e' othe'r" of said members andmeshing with theigear to wind the spring; a ratchet wheel carried by the shaft"; and a detent-ere gaging the ratchet wheel to hold the "spring in wound positiona i 6. In a wheeled vehicle 'haying'an electric storage battery and: spring-connected Iiiminterrelati yely movable vertically, mechanism orthe character described,- com prising'a anelectric generator for charging the battery;v a coiled spring; mounted on one of said members for operating the'vgenenator and having a! rotatable? winding shafitiprovided with a ratchetwheelg a geahturli-ably mounted? on the sha'iftgl a" toothed ra'ck carried by the other of said members-and meshg r and; eng giflg theret t whe a bers ratchet wheel carried by the shaft; and a wheel to hold the spring in Wound position. 0

detent engaging the ratchet wheel to hold the spring in wound position.

7. In a wheeled vehicle'having an electric storage battery and spring-connected meminterrelatively movable vertically, mechanism of the character described, comprising: an electric generator for charging the battery; a coiled spring mounted on one of said members for operating the generator and having a rotatable winding shaft provided with ratchet wheels; gears turnably mounted on the shaft; toothed racks carried by the other of said members and meshing with the gears respectively on opposite sides of the shaft; pawls carried by the gears respectively and engaging the respective ratchet Wheels; a ratchet Wheel carried by the shaft; and a detent engaging the ratchet 8. In a wheeled vehicle having an electric storage battery and spring-connected members interrelatively movable vertically, mechanism of the character described, comprising: an electric generator for charging the battery; spring-actuated means for operating the generator; connections extending between said members and operated by their interrelative movement for tensioning the spring of said spring-actuated means; and independent means for tensioning the spring of the spring-actuated means.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 30th day of July, 1923.

GEORGE EOKMAN. ALBERT W. MOORE. 

